Japanese Beautyberry

                Last Friday I saw 41 species of wild flowers in bloom; however, the very brightest botanical sight I had was of a Japanese beautyberry (Callicarpa japonica) that was located in the Royal Botanical Garden's Arboretum. I don't remember seeing these berries before, but they certainly were evident on Friday. They looked almost fluorescent against the mostly grey background of the trees and shrubs that are rapidly losing their leaves.